The lessons of self-sacrifice we should all heed

As we mark 100 years since the guns fell silent in the Great War, it’s time to ask if we have lost the spirit of selflessness that typified the men and women of the day, writes Peta Credlin.

Today is Remembrance Day and marks 100 years since the guns fell silent in the Great War. For the past four years, we’ve been commemorating Australia’s role in the most convulsive conflict of all time: the war that ended empires; that ushered in communism; that brought Western civilisation to the brink of destruction — and that was the baptism of fire that shaped the character of the then, very young Commonwealth of Australia.

From an Australian population of just five million, nearly half of all men aged between 18 and 40 were in uniform. More than 400,000 volunteered, more than 330,000 served overseas, 155,000 were wounded, and 60,000 never came home.

I think of my great-grandfather who survived the Western front. Because he was under 21 at the time he enlisted, his father needed to give consent and wrote “Yes, we give consent, as five more of his brothers have enlisted, three of whom have been at the front for some considerable time”.

ANZAC VIRTUAL REALITY PROJECT TAKES YOU TO THE WESTERN FRONT USING YOUR PHONE

Australians at Anzac, Gallipoli. Picture: Robert Hunt Library/Windmill books/UIG via Getty images.

When we think of heroism of these men, I am always mindful of our women too — imagine that, six of your sons fighting the horrors of the Great War on foreign soil, so far from home?

But what about Australians of today? How ready are you, and how ready am I, to make sacrifices for what Australia holds dear; or just to remember that there’s a national interest to consider, along with our own self-interest?

In better times, as well as in worse, our challenge is still to emulate their example, stand up for the values they fought to protect — democracy, rule of law, equality, freedom of association, of religion, and freedom of speech.

For them, the price they paid was in blood. For us, all that’s asked of us, is a bit of backbone, the courage to speak up and the will to defend what we have.

We can never let apathy lose sight of what their sacrifice, gave to us, to protect.

Lest we forget.

Originally published as The lessons of self-sacrifice we should all heed